bild

Sodium hydroxide pellets and storage container. The pellets are solid sodium hydroxide and can be dissolved in water to produce the sodium hydroxide solution used in chemical laboratories. It is very corrosive in this pure form and can cause severe burns, hence the warning label (orange). Sodium hydroxide is also used in the manufacture of soap, and for its corrosive and alkaline properties. Its chemical formula is NaOH. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/ANDREW LAMBERT PHOTOGRAPHY)